To Those Of Us Who Feel Terrible When Fasting Or Every Two Hours

[Guest Hanice]

http://m.care.diabetesjournals.org/content/34/Supplement_2/S132.full

http://forums.dinet.org/index.php?/topic/2940-hypoglycemia-anyone/

I read some informative scary things in that artie and I think tomorrow I will go buy a glucose checking device. Every two hours I feel shakey and I feel im dying and like Im just not right. I dont feel hungry but its like my system is on overdrive with my digestion. Like I'm digesting my food too quickly but YET I don't get reallly hungry. I have to stuff my self even when I dont want to, and last time I did an mri I fasted and I got really bad tachycardia. I know I never had glucose issues before but I'm reading that POTS and hypoglycemia sometimes go hand in hand.. I need to read more.

I read in the article above that hypoglycemia can cause tachycardia or abnormal heart rhythms.. if any one knows more about this or has a similar story please inform me. Anything is appreciated.

[MomtoGiuliana]

Hi Hanice--When I had more severe POTS symptoms, I also had this problem/the symptoms you are describing--shaky, heart racing, dizzy or weird head sensations too. I had to eat frequent small meals to try to minimize these symptoms. It was terrible a lot during my pregnancy, which eventually was part of the reason I became disabled during pregnancy (and the months after). I had many Glucose Tolerance Tests. They all came back within normal range. When I was finally diagnosed with POTS my specialist told me that POTS mimics hypoglycemia--so you can think this is what your problem is, when it is not. For some reason for some patients our bodies overreact to small changes in blood glucose and release adrenaline inappropriately. I think I am understanding him correctly (I was told this about 10 yrs ago now!). I am not saying you do not have hypoglycemia--some people do and some on this forum do, I am just explaining my personal experience. It sounds like it would be helpful to get some data on your glucose levels--importantly--to talk to a doctor about these symptoms and your concerns.

[Guest Hanice]

Thank you for this info. I do have to get this checked out. This is really worrying me lately. Thank you.

[AllAboutPeace]

Hanice,

I have had this issue since my sudden onset of Pots - for me it goes along with the dysautonomia. Prior to Pots, I could miss meals and carry on with no issues at all - now I have to eat every couple of hours (as you mentioned not because of hunger, but because of symptoms). I've never noticed if I have more extreme tachycardia, but I tend to get really weak/lethargic when I have to fast. The docs checked my blood sugars while I was hospitalized but the numbers didn't indicate a problem. Heavier meals make me more symptomatic as well. So, I just listen to my body and try to give it what it needs. I have small meals/snacks throughout the day and pack snacks (along with salt and water) if I'm leaving the house.

Ahh, the joys of being a suddenly-super-high-maintenance-gal

I think what MomtoGiuliana's doc said seems to apply in my case. I know 'something' is going on, but as with many issues with pots, it's tough to pin down exactly what that is.

I hope it all checks out for you, so you are not worrying!

[Katybug]

I experience this too. In fact, I have had this since I was a kid. We've done the 2 and 6 hr glucose tests. I'm always about 2 points above the official cut off for hypoglycemia. My pcp said to eat as if I am hypoglycemic since I'm that close. What's interesting is that sometimes I feel like I'm having a low sugar issue and eating helps but others it doesn't and only laying down helps. I think this speaks to what Momtogiuliana was saying. It's hard to sort out the pots from the sugar.

[Guest Hanice]

Uggh! I'm wondering if this would also be causing my annoying blurry vision. If I'm not misunderstanding, hypoglycemia will affect your vision. Mine comes and goes thankfully its not a permanent thing....(yet)

All the things dysautonomia can do,

It can sound like a cow, it can go moo moo. Lol.

Seriously though, I will post it here when I find out. Thank you all for your posts and for making me feel better.♥

[Guest Hanice]

Oh I took my blood glucose today while feeling crappy and it was normal!! 98 I had eaten cookies earlier. They are extremely healthy though.. very little sugar organic and not white flour.

[Hope]

I've had to eat every 2 hours since I was a teen. It just becomes a way of life. It's suppose to be better for you anyway.

[Dizzysillyak]

I have to eat sonething every 2 hours too but I'm a celiac so my digestion is

hosed.

I was dx with hyperinsulinemia via a gtt plus glucose. My bg never gets below 60s, but I feel and look horrible at that number.

I read that diabetics are told to eat something sweet prior to exercising and found that if I eat sonething sweet every 20 minutes when active I function much better. It's made a huge difference in taking long walks, doing my laundry, etc.

tc .. d

[Katybug]

Dizzy,

What's a gtt plus glucose test?

[KareBear]

Seeing what u all r saying about eating just reminds me how POTS can be so different for different people. I only eat once a day and even at that meal its not much. I dont feel hungry and eating or not eating doesn't change how I feel. I used to check my blood sugars with a home monitor a few years ago and randomly since then but it was always normal too! For me the symptoms I thought could have been blood suar related r just some of the POTS symptoms for me.

[Dizzysillyak]

Glucose tolerance test. Checking for insulin can show hyperinsulinemia.

[gertie]

I do have hypoglycemia & any medical testing that requires fasting for more than 3 or 4 hours is out for me. I tried doing the fast for a colonoscopy 3 times & always passed out before I really got started. Any illness when you're too sick to eat is traumatic & can be life threatening.

I also get shakey a lot from adrenal exhaustion & Hashimotos thyroid. Have you been checked for either?

[Guest Hanice]

Alicia

Unfortunately I haven't I was going to with my last doctor but I fired him before I could take the tests.